Heartworn Highways
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Movie Reviews of Heartworn Highways
Movie Review: A musical vision fulfilled - Townes Van Zandt and friends
Summary: 5 Stars
I was stunned by this movie. I learned of it and purchased it in 2003. For various reasons it remains for me the best, most emotional movie I have seen about musicians and their music. The producer chose well: He found the songwriters that shaped country and rock for the next 30 years: Townes Van Zandt, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Guy Clark, Steve Young, John Hiatt, Charlie Daniels and a tribute to the late Skinny Dennis, immortalized in Guy Clark's "LA Freeway." I wish David Allen Coe had been left out, but no film is perfect.
The songwriters are shown at their best and worst: a drunken, funny TVZ falls into a rabbit hole and Silent Night is rendered by fine musicians too drunk to remember the lyrics.
This movie was made when I was a poor student and musician with a small circle of talented friends in Tampa at the University of South Florida. The difference is that most of my friends and I got straight jobs [we still tried to make a difference] but these musicians changed the world, just a little.
I married the singer/Business major I met at USF and divorced 30 years later. I still play guitar, write and record at home and dream of making it in music - but mostly I learn songs written by artists like those in this movie and try to understand the magic they have that still captures me.
When TVZ sang 'Waiting around to die' he brought tears to the eyes of his 70+ blacksmith neighbor, while Cindy comforts him. It was magical. TVZ does a "medley of my hit" and sings "Pancho and Lefty," and Rodney Crowell sang "Bluebird Wine," both covered by Emmylou. Steve Young's "Alabama Highways" was wonderful too. It was a look into my past - and the past and future of the intelligent, emotional music I love best.
Movie Review: Why have we never heard of Larry Jon Wilson?
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this movie. Several Guy Clark songs, John Hiatt and Steve Earle in much younger days, Charlie Daniels back before he censored references to the noxious weed from his songs, Townes Van Zandt, Rex Bell, and a hysterically funny song introduction by Gamble Rodgers. Also a clip of David Allan Coe driving his bus to and then playing at a prison in Tennessee. The high points for me were the song "Alabama Highway" by Steve Young, and a song called "Ohoopee River Bottomland" by a man named Larry Jon Wilson.
According to the sparse information available on the internet, Larry Jon Wilson was one of the "outlaw" genre progressive country musicians in the mid-1970's. His style reminds one of Tony Joe White ("Polk Salad Annie"), and it is apparent from the clip here that he is an excellent singer, songwriter, and guitar player. Being a fan of that music, I am shocked that watching this DVD was the first time I had heard of him. He later hosted a show on PBS called "Georgia Backroads" and I found a couple of references to recent shows. I guess fate and luck play a huge role in determining a musician's success. It seems a shame that a man of such talent did not recieve greater acclaim.
Great "candid" footage of Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, and others sitting around a dining table, with an unreal number of assorted bottles in various stages of emptiness, trading songs. We mortals are truly lightweights. At any rate, if you are interested in songwriting, these artists, or early to mid-70's progressive country music, you will enjoy this DVD immensely. And if you hear of any Larry Jon Wilson cd's for sale, let me know.
Dick LeMasters
Movie Review: SPLENDID
Summary: 5 Stars
I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO BE HANGING OUT WITH THESE GUYS. GUY CLARK, TOWNES, STEVE EARLE, JUST TO NAME A FEW. I TRULY ENJOY THIS DVD AND HAVE WATCHED IT MANY TIMES AND HAVE TURNED A LOT OF MY FRIENDS ONTO IT. THE ONLY BAD PART IS THERE SEEMS TO BE TOO MUCH DAVID ALLAN COE. I REALLY CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW HE FITS INTO THIS DVD, BUT THE GOOD OUTWEIGHS THE BAD AS THE REST OF THE CAST ARE EXCELLENT. SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MADE AROUND THE EARLY SEVENTIES AS GUY CLARK AND TOWNES AND STEVE EARLE ALL LOOK LIKE THEY ARE IN THEIR 20'S OR EARLY 30'S. STEVE EARLE IS SO YOUNG LOOKING HE IS ALMOST UNRECOGNIZABLE AT FIRST. IT CONTAINS SOME CANDID INTERVIEWS ALSO, THE ONES WITH TOWNES BEING THE HIGHLIGHT. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.Movie Review: So many saints are here
Summary: 5 Stars
If we lived in the Middle Ages - just about everyone playing on this dvd would be a saint. I doubt if anyone would deny that Townes van Zandt is the energy around which all these other marvels gravitate - at least there is something absolutely spellbinding about him here, swaggeringly young, handsome, and drunk as he is. But Steve Earle, Guy Clark, Steve Young, Rodney Crowell, John Hiatt (on the outtakes) and many others are all here in one great big whoop of life. After watching this you will immediately want to go off and write songs. These guys inspire simply by loving what they do, and the film makers saw it and conveyed it so that 30 years later anyone with eyes can see there magic was happening.Movie Review: Unadulterated History
Summary: 5 Stars
How fascinating to watch the early days of some of these folks - particularly Steve Earle, who appeared to be the new kid in the room. Guy Clark, cocking his head, listening with rapt attention to Steve play the Mercenary Song, I think for the first time ever to an audience, was way cool. Then, when it was over, Guy's obvious delight at discovering a new and exciting songwriter on the block was something I'll never forget. This film put you there. I'm referring to material contained in the special features, which I found more engaging than the bio on Townes.